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The deal is sealed: Costco locating on Veterans Boulevard

The deal is set. A purchase agreement has been signed paving the way for the first Costco Wholesale store in the Dakotas at a convenient West Fargo location, directly adjacent to the Interstate.

The official word that Rusty Goose Development, LLLP, had entered into a purchase agreement with Costco Wholesale Corporation for the sale of an 18-acre site for a store located in the southwest quadrant of I-94 and Veterans Boulevard came Thursday afternoon, Sept. 8. Attorney Dan Bueide of the Vogel Law Firm, owner's representative for Rusty Goose Development, made the announcement on behalf of the group comprised of Doris Borth and Mary Hammerud, daughters of Oscar and Martha Rustad, who farmed the site for many years, raising their family there.

Bueide said the improvements and utilities necessary to support the Costco project are set to be installed next spring with a store opening date of approximately Nov. 1, 2012, anticipated.

With Costco now committed, Bueide said he is extremely excited about the potential for other development in this area. "It has tremendous visibility and access." He added that Rusty Goose officials "are very interested in placing a hotel/convention use and another big box in that area as well as small commercial users in and around. In our next target we would love to site in another big box and hotel, and the smaller stuff will layout around it.

"We've got the makings of a really exciting corridor here with this one mile stretch of Veterans," said Bueide noting Costco, the huge health facility and wellness center under construction, and the Scheels Area. "This one mile stretch of Veterans is just extraordinarily exciting and the potential is just really high. To me, it could be one of the premier one-mile arterial corridors in our metro area."

The West Fargo Planning and Zoning Commissioner gave their blessing to first reading of the subdivision and rezoning of the Costco parcel from agriculture to light commercial at their Sept. 8 meeting.

A request for first reading approving the same rezoning will come before the West Fargo City Commission Monday night, Sept. 19. Once second and final reading is approved, those involved will have the green light to move forward.

City Administrator Jim Brownlee said that the arrangement with Costco is great news for the city. "It's just a really good deal for the city to have a big-box retailer coming in. It will really spur development in that section. We are very happy to see that kind of growth in our retail tax base."

West Fargo Mayor Rich Mattern agrees. "It certainly is great news that Costco has decided to locate its first North Dakota store in West Fargo. We've had a lot of interest by companies looking to locate along Veteran's Boulevard, but Costco was the first to do so. I think once we have the first one going up, others will follow. I hope the next big announcement is from a major hotel to locate a hotel/convention center in the area. We certainly could use one."